Box-forming machine



April 28, 1925.4

D. GAuL-r BQX FORMING MACHINE Filedauly 14, 192:5

@m BYM/af A TTORNE Y Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

DON GAULT, OF EAST LAKE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TRUST COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND,' OHIO,

TO THE GUARDIAN SAVllNG-SA AND A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

i BOX-FORMIN G MACHINE.

.Application led July 14,

To all whom t may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, DON GAULT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of East Lake, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BOX-Forming Ma4 chines, of which the following is a specification. i i

This invention relates in general to a boxforming machine and particularly refers to the parts of such machines for uniting the end flaps of paper box `blanks after the blanks have been subjected to the gumming steps in the process of manufacturing the same. j

It is a usual practice for the manufacturers to cut and score the blanks, and ship them in flat condition to the user, and for the user to glue the ends or flaps. Such machines are-often used Where there is only a limited source of power available and yet the sealing of the glued ends of the boxes requires the application thereto of relatively great pressure, and also where the operators of the machine are of the unskilled type `of labor, likely to damage the boxes,the ma.- chines or the blanks unless special means be provided to prevent such damage. Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a pressing or clamping machine of simple and rugged construction, which may be operated in an efli- A cient manner, and at the same time effectively prevent damage to parts or material should the machine be operated unskillfully.

`Another object relates to a novel combination of massive jaw elements, the movable one of which is operated through a toggle mechanism and is therefore subjected to powerful leverage effects, and means to prevent the effective operating pressure of the movable` jaW from exceeding a definite predetermined amount. j

Another object relates to the provision of means for varying the maximum amount of pressure applied by the movable jaw.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawing and in part will be more fully set forth in thefollowing particular description of'one form of mechanism embodying my invention,`and the invention also consists in certain newV and novel features of construction 1923. Serial N0. 651,504.

and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The accompanying drawing shows a side elevation with parts bro-ken away of one embodiment of the invention.

In the following description and in the claims, parts Vwill be identified by specific names for convenience of `expression but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

In the drawing there is shown' a heavy basel() to accommodate the actuating mechanism of the machine and to form a support therefor. The base is provided on one side with an upright pillar 11 to the front face of which is bolted a heavy casting hereinafter identified as a jaw post guide 12, and which is substantially of the same height as the pillar 11.

The upper portion of the guide 12 is provided with a forwardly extending projection 13 in the form of a massive ledge or anvil constituting' the fixed jawlof the pressing machine. The ledge 13 in the embodiment shown is separably mounted on the guide 12, and forms a die especially designed so as to receive the particular form of box element which is desired to be pressed. By substituting a different form of die differentV types of articles may be pressed as desired.

The guide 12 is of channel shape and is provided adjacent its upper end with` a relatively large pin 14 extending through the guide 12. The guide 12 constitutes a relatively long, vertically disposed guide-way in which is slidably mounted a jaw post 17 which is shaped to Vfit snugly in the guideway` of the guide 12. The upper end of the post 17 is provided with a forwardly eX tending head 18 constituting a movable jaw of the pressing machine. Thehead 18 is of sufficiently massive construction to resist distort-ing strains when in use.

'F or guiding the pin 14 in its vertical `reciprocatory motion there are provided in the sides of the jaw post i7 vertically extending slots 217 in which the pin 14: lits snugly but without binding. rlhe lower' end of the movablejaw postl provided with a forwardly extending foot 22 through which extends a shouldered nut 50 slidably mounted therein and adjustably mounted upon a threaded stud 51 forming part of the toggle mechanism described hereinafter. On;

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the upper face of the foot 22 and surrounding the upper end of the nut 50 isY mounted a washer 52 forming the seat for a compression spring 53. An adjustable nut 54 mounted on thestud 23 determines the normal resiliency of the spring 53 and limits positively the relative movement` of the foot 22 and the nut 50 as will be described more fully hereinafter.

For reciprocating the movablek jaw post 17 in the guide-way formed by the guide 11 there is provided'a toggle 25, pivotally connected at its upper end to the pin 14, and at its lower end to the stud 23 through a pivotal joint 26. rlhe toggle comprises an upper link 27 and a lower link 28, which are pivotally interconnected by a pin 29. The pin 29 is operatively connected to a horizontally disposed eccentric strap 30 which is acta-ted by au eccentric 31 loosely mounted on a constantly driven drive shaft 32 journalled in the frame of the base 10. rlhe shaft 32 may be driven in any suitable manner as bv means of a pulley and flywheel 33 operatively connected to a source of motive power and geared through a reducing gearvconnection 34. The eccentric 31 is driven from. the shaft 32 through a ratchet 35 fixed to the shaft and a pawl 37 pivotally mounted on the enlarged portion of the eccentric 31. The pawl 37 is normally maintained in operative engagement with its ratchet by means of a spring 3S. A sliding bolt 39 is slidably mounted in the frame of the base 10 and is normally positioned in the path of movement of the revolving pawl so as to cause the pawlto be withdrawn from the ratchet when the eccentric has completed its cycle of movement.

For con-trolling movement of the sliding bolt 39 there is provided a pedal 40 in convenient reach of the foot of the operator, and operatively connected with the bolt 39 by means of a system of reach-rods and bell crank levers 41. The pedal 40 is held in its upper position. and the bolt 39 is held in projected position, normally, by means of a tension spring 42.

The shaft 32 may be utilized as a source of power for actuatinpg` other elements of the machine, such for example, as the gluing roller (not shown). and for this purpose the shaft is provided with a driving gear 43 affixed thereto.

ln operation, assuming the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1 with the flywheel 33 in active operation and flaps of the bei; to be glued in condition ready forthe pressing operation, the flaps are inserted in position on the fixed jaw 13 and beneath the movable i aw 18. When the operator steps on the pedal 40, the bolt 39 is withdrawn from. its pawl holding position. Under control of the pawl actuating spring 38 the pawl 39 is thereupon move-d into engagement with the actively rotating ratchet 35. The rotating ratchet picllsup the pawl and acts therethrough to rotate the eccentric 31. The strap 30 is moved thereby and reciprocates the mid-portion of the toggle 25. As the upper end of the toggle is held relative to the machine as a whole by the pin 14 on which the toggle link 27 is pivoted, the action of the toggle is first to effect a downward movement of the lower end of the toggle comprising the stud 23, and the nuts and 54 mounted thereon.-

This n'iovement is imparted-to `the foot 22 of the jaw post 17 through the heavy compression spring 53, which is preferably of such size and construction as to withstand a heavy pressure before yielding l have found a spring yielding to about 150 pounds pressure to give good results.

The action of the toggle thus effects a downward movement of the movable jaw post 177 causing the upper jaw 18 to appreach the fixed lower jaw member 13. On the succeedingmovement of the eccentric 31 the strap 30 is moved in the opposite direc tion and the movable jaw post 17 and. jaw 1S retracted, tol assume the initial position. This action will continue, the movable jaw reciprocating up and down in its guide-way as long as the operator holds the pedal 40 down and the bolt 39 in itsoperative position to permit the revolving pawl to clear the same. As soon as the operator releases the pedal 40 it returns Vto its upper position as shown under control of the spring 42 and the bolt is again positioned in ther path of the pawl 32, which thereafter comes in con tact with the bolt 39, is rotated on its pivoted mounting and cleared of the revolving ratchet. The machine is thus brought automatically into its initial position and is ready for the succeeding pressing operation.

Should there be any foreign material inserted inadvertently between the jaws, such, for example. asa screwdriver or other tool, the operation will be as follows: Assuming the parts are in position shown in Figure 1 with the flywheel 33 in active operation and with some foreign material inserted between the jaws 1S and 13 preventing them from fully closing, and assuming that the operator inadvertently steps on the pedal 40, or has stepped thereon before the insertion of the foreign material was noticed, the bolt 39 is drawn from its pawl-holding1` position as before. The eccentric 30 is thereupon rotated and reciprocates. the midportion of the toggle 25 to effect a downward movement of the lower end of thetoggle comprising the stud 23 and the nuts 50 and 54 mounted thereon. This movement is imparted to the footf22 of thejaw post 17 through ai heavy compression spring 53 and causes the upper jaw 18 to move downwardly. Upon contacting with the tool .or

lill? other forming apparatus in order to emboss whatever foreign material has been inserted between the jaws, subsequent movement of the jaw 18 and movable jaw post 17 is pre` vented, but continued movement of the toggle is taken up in the compression spring 53 and serious damage to the jaws 18 and 13`is thus prevented. Subsequent movement of the eccentric 31 releases the spring 53 and restores the jaw 18 to normal position, and it may be assumed that by this time the operator has noticed that something is wrong andreleases the pedal a0. The machine isthereupon brought automatically into its initial position as has been previously described and is stopped therein by release of the pawl 39. The amount of pressure exerted by the compression spring 53 may bevariably adjusted by means of the adjusting nut 54 which may be mved downwardly to increase the pressure and upwardly to reduce the pressure and thus to vary the cushioning effect upon the. movable jaw.

Thus it will be seen that l have provided a box-forming machine of simple and rigid construction, but capable of applying great pressure to the box to be formed so as to properly seal the same; and having a positivelimitation upon the pressure applied in order effectively to prevent the application of excessive pressure so that damage to the machine, if tools or other foreign devices are placed in the machine while in operation, may not occur.

`The machine of the present invention permits the employment of expensive dies or the box being formed in a predetermined manner, and effectively prevents damage to such expensive tools should the power be applied at a time when foreign objects are in the path of the movable jaw of themachine.

lhile I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of my invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form. and details of the device illustrated and in its 0peration may bemade by those skilled in the A ciprocating the supporting said jaw, a

art without departing from the spirit` of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: Y

1. In a box-forming machine, the combination of a movable jaw, a toggle for recipirocating the same, driving mechanism for actuating the toggle, and resilient cushion means for cushioning the blow of the movable jaw to limit the pressure applied thereby.

2. In a box-forming machine, the combination of a movable jaw, a toggle for resame, driving mechanism for actuating` the toggle, resilient cushion means for cushioning the blow of the movable jaw to limit the pressure applied thereby, and means for adjusting the cushioning eil-ect of said resilient stopping means.

3. In a box-forming machine, the combination of a stationary jaw and a movable jaw, a guidepostfor supporting the stationary jaw and having aligned channels, a movable jaw pos-t for supporting the movable jaw and movable in said channels, a stud slidably mounted in said movable jaw post, a compression spring held in fixed position by said studand means for intermittently applying the pressure through said spring to said movable jaw post for reciprocating the movable jaw. j

4. In a box-forming machine, the combination of a stationary jaw, a guidepost movable jaw and a movable jaw post slidably mounted in said stationary jaw, a compression spring mounted upon said jaw post, and means operative through said spring for reciprocating the movable jaw post and movable jaw.

5. In a box-forming machine, the com.- bination of a stationary jaw and a movable jaw, a channeled post for supporting the movable jaw, and means positioned on a portion of said movable jaw post for limiting the pressure which can be applied to said jaws.

Signedv at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, this 10th day of July, A. D. 1923.

DON GAULT. 

